On This Day, Jan. 15, 1870 – The Donkey and the Democrats Join Hands

1870 – A cartoon by Thomas Nast titled “A Live Jackass Kicking a Dead Lion” appeared in “Harper’s Weekly.” The cartoon used the donkey to symbolize the Democratic Party for the first time.

The donkey was labeled “COPPERHEAD PAPERS” – copperheads were Northern Democrats and the lion was inscribed with “HON. E.M. STANTON” who was Lincoln’s Secretary of War. Lincoln was the first Republican president.

Nast was born in Landau, Germany in 1840 and his parents moved the family to New York when he was six. He and his sister were enrolled in public school and Nast’s performance was dismal. He did not speak English and was in danger of failing. His neighbor gave him crayons, seconds from his own manufacturing effort, and Nast learned to draw beautifully. He was basically illiterate and remained so all his life. He was enrolled in art school at age 12 but was forced to leave at age 15 due to financial constraints.

Nast was not just a political activist in the US, but also in Europe where he was sent in 1860. He drew pictures depicting the Garibaldi military campaign – an effort to unite Italy – that interested people on both sides of the Atlantic. He came back to the States and Harper’s and took up his pen to fight the Civil War. His drawings of southern and border state battlefields led Lincoln to say that he was “our best recruiting sergeant.”

Nast not only gave us the Democrat Donkey, but also the Republican Elephant. He is responsible for our picture of Uncle Sam as a tall, lanky, bearded man. Prior to Nast’s drawings, there was no beard. He was also partly responsible for bringing down the Boss Tweed Ring in New York City. His cartoons even influenced Presidential elections. He was also famous for his Christmas drawings and is responsible for our idea of how Santa Claus looks, based on Clement Moore’s poem. He also placed Santa at the North Pole so that no nation would have control of the jolly elf. He gave him a workshop and elves to help assemble toys.